The F.Y. Batchelor steamboat is docked at the riverside being loaded with materials. At least three men are visible on the upper deck of the ship by the wheelhouse. A sign above the paddlewheel states that the boat is from Sioux City Iowa. Fiske himself served as a cabin boy on the F.Y. Batchelor from 1898 to 1900.

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The F.Y. Batchelor steamboat is docked at the riverside being loaded with materials. At least three men are visible on the upper deck of the ship by the wheelhouse. A sign above the paddlewheel states that the boat is from Sioux City Iowa. Fiske himself served as a cabin boy on the F.Y. Batchelor from 1898 to 1900.

Frank Fiske served as an assistant steamboat captain prior to his lifelong work as a studio photographer, mostly associated with Fort Yates N.D. He learned the trade from S.T. Fansler, post studio photographer, and remained in Fort Yates to document the town, the Standing Rock Agency, and the changing ways of the frontier. Fiske was also a writer, and served for a time as a newspaper editor, and wrote a popular column carried in many newspapers. He was best known for his Indian photographs, which depicted everyday Indian life, as well as studio views.